COUNCIL staff are taking action to evict a group of travellers from a Quinton beauty spot.

The travellers have been camping on Quinton Meadows nature reserve, off the A456, since Sunday.

They are expected to be moved off this afternoon (Tuesday July 21).

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "This encampment, which arrived on Sunday (July 19), was offered places on one of the city’s transit sites, however these were refused.

"Police have now served notices and the group is due to leave the site today (July 21)."

Quinton Councillor Kate Booth (Labour & Co-operative) said she was informed about the traveller incursion to Quinton Meadows on Sunday afternoon and took prompt action to try to prevent damage to the site, which is of special importance for nature conservation.

Cllr Booth said: "I contacted the police and council officers as well as the Chair of the Quinton Meadows Consultative Committee immediately on Sunday and arranged prompt action to prevent damage to the site which is also of special importance for nature conservation.

"As the council now has a second travellers site available, the legal powers to act are now stronger and quicker, so we arranged a safeguarding visit which happened yesterday and West Midlands Police served a 'Section 62A Notice' this morning so the vehicles should be moving this afternoon.

"At the moment the council is being asked to accommodate the travelling community but by and large all of the groups in June (7 encampments) have all chosen to leave rather than pay for facilities.

"The notice prevents them using any other site than those prescribed and it is then a criminal offence for this group to go onto private or public land in Birmingham.

"I also urge West Midlands Police to ensure every LPU has officers trained in the new procedures so that the issues are not simply moved around the city and region.

"I trust this does not mean a summer of encampments and urge all local residents and businesses to check valid waste carrier licences and not to pay for works which may end up with material being fly-tipped with council tax payers then picking up the bill for disposal."

It is not known if it is the same group of travellers who demanded £6.5k to move from Old Halesonians RFC in Hagley at the weekend.

They were moved off after the rugby club, on Wassell Grove, enlisted the services of bailiffs and left human excrement and rubbish and a bill of thousands of pounds, in their wake.